The Truth

[NeoConMan]

my Dual Showman

When I spoke with Joe Perry (Aerosmith) a couple months ago, I asked him about his amps.

 

Two of the heads were Dual Showman with reverb.

 

Since then, I've been browsing Ebay...

[DanvillRob]

When I spoke with Joe Perry (Aerosmith) a couple months ago' date=' I asked him about his amps.

 

Two of the heads were Dual Showman with reverb.

 

Since then, I've been browsing Ebay...

[/quote']

 

When I was at the luthier's last week, I saw an old Dual Showman Reverb amp with the original speakers, (2 X 15" silver coned JBL's). The amp was a little "rough", but that's only cosmetic!

 

Here's a pic from his web site:

 

I wish I had the original speakers for my Dual Showman. I have 2 X 15" but the box is just something I found.

[duane v]

When I ran two boogie Mark IV amps out of two full stacks, I never went past 7 at small clubs like the Whiskey or the Roxy. However places like the Palladium or 5000 seat auditoriums, the volume was always at 8 to 10

 

Recording volume is always at 10, even when playing clean.

 

Tube amps IMO sound better when they are completly opened up.

[S t e v e]

i just bought a 100 watter for the bedroom

 

http://www.peavey-eu.com/news_2.php?flag=GB&lan=UK&key=15

[duane v]

i just bought a 100 watter for the bedroom

 

A player after my own heart[biggrin]

[Murph]

I'm a big fan of El84's running 30 watts class A.

 

<<<<<<<<--------------

 

Go figure.

 

I do like the headroom of a 100 watt amp on a big stage. It's not all about "VOLUME". Sometimes it's about "Tone".

[CajunBlues]

My home/practice amp is a Fender Blues Junior 15 watts all tube... Which to me is equivalent to about 40 watts solid state...

 

The advantages to having a amp like this are that it doesn't take up a lot of space and it's cooler... And during the Arizona summer, a cooler amp is a better amp...

 

My gigging amp is a Fender Blues Deluxe which is 40 watts (I think) all tube.. that MF is loud ! To me I would say it's equivalent to about 100 watts solid state... Since I play mostly with a Jazz Big band, I need that volume... And since it's jazz I don't want it breaking up when I play a solo... So, I need a loud amp.. And this one does the trick...

 

I used to have a Fender twin reverb and it souded awesome ... But it wasn't suitable for a gigging amp because it was just too damn heavy ... And it was a horrible home amp since it took up a lot of room and during the summer, it turned my practice room into a toaster...

[Hector Arcadius]

My home/practice amp is a Fender Blues Junior 15 watts all tube... Which to me is equivalent to about 40 watts solid state...

 

The advantages to having a amp like this are that it doesn't take up a lot of space and it's cooler... And during the Arizona summer' date=' a cooler amp is a better amp...

 

[/quote']

 

 

Hm, very good point for me to consider. The 6-month summer of Cyprus is something that plays its role for me then...

[Rewddawg1]

I bought my Marshall JCM 800 because it's a 1981 (first year) with vertical inputs - kinda collectible.

I also knew the history on it' date=' and the price wasn't bad.

 

No way could I justify owning it, I rarely play gigs and can't imagine playing a venue large enough to need it.

That being said, my wife has an appreciation for the stupid grin on my face every time I plug into it.

 

(Even if she can feel it in her chest and it moves all the pictures around in the house....)

 

She even suggested I buy a Marshall A cab to top off my half stack because my Peavey A cab doesn't match.

 

 

 

All you young guys need to plug a Les Paul into a good tube half stack at least once, just so you "get" it.

Then stack both cabinets and crank 100 watts just once - you haven't lived until you do.

It's absolutely fxcking insane being in the same room with the preamp dimed and the master on about 6!

 

With the stupid-*** grin on your face, and possible ear damage after the ringing finally quits 3 days later,

you will no longer crave 100 watts because you think you actually need it - because you don't.

 

 

 

 

I play gigs with my 60 watt Fender Hot Rod DeVille 2x12 - with the volume on about 2.5 and the drive on 4.

Run the volume up to 4 and it will take your hair off, with plenty of bottom end for Drop D Les Paul riffage.

 

Deep Blue is a wise man, I don't know if he has the hearing loss I do from playing too damned loud....

 

The focus should be on amp quality, not power output.

And for most rhythm, riffs, chords and such, more speakers sound fuller and richer.

I find leads come out of a single speaker just fine, the clarity allows you to dial in exactly what tone you want.

 

I've decided to take a new approach myself when buying amps - no more combos.

I want to find the head I want, then mix and match cabs as I see fit.

Fender, Mesa, whatever, it's likely separates from here on out.

 

Congratulations it's great to hear you are gigging now. It's got to be tough with 2 jobs a family and all those hobbies you enjoy. You probably don't get much sleep I am sort of an insomniac myself. By the way where do you get those half stacks with 2 cabs. I have never run across them myself. Show us some pics. Anyway keep on Rockin and above all just have fun!

Rewd

[djroge1]

I like the approach of having amp head(s) to combine with various cabinets as it allows for more versitility and the ability to taylor ones sound. However, it is easier to carry & set up a combo at a gig. It seems that often there are trade offs in life.

 

Good topic/thread

[Rewddawg1]

When I spoke with Joe Perry (Aerosmith) a couple months ago' date=' I asked him about his amps.

 

Two of the heads were Dual Showman with reverb.

 

Since then, I've been browsing Ebay...

[/quote']

Wow you talk with Joe Perry that's awesome. How are He and Steven Tyler and the rest of his mates getting along?

[DanvillRob]

Wow you talk with Joe Perry that's awesome. How are He and Steven Tyler and the rest of his mates getting along?

 

 

Maybe by "speaking" he really meant "channeling" Joe Perry!!

[djroge1]

I believe it was more along the lines of after a show I got to met him and chat with him.

[Rewddawg1]

I'm a big fan of El84's running 30 watts class A.

 

<<<<<<<<--------------

 

Go figure.

 

I do like the headroom of a 100 watt amp on a big stage. It's not all about "VOLUME". Sometimes it's about "Tone".

It is hard to get some of those vintage tones on some amps when they are set at 5 or 12 O clock they just won't sound right til you hit 11.

[Dom_JEM]

In the words of Nigel Tufnel..."but sometimes you want that little bit more"

[milod]

I wish I knew what I could blame for my relatively poor hearing, especially on the "top end."

 

1. Playing a lotta loud rock and just-as-loud country...

2. Shooting a lotta firearms before somebody suggested ear protection.

3. Shooting (camera) a lotta howitzers that were shooting - and often without ear protection.

4. Driving much-too-loud cars.

5. Listening to much too loud music from others.

 

<grin>

 

Too soon oldt, too late schmardt.

 

m

[DanvillRob]

I wish I knew what I could blame for my relatively poor hearing' date=' especially on the "top end."

 

1. Playing a lotta loud rock and just-as-loud country...

2. Shooting a lotta firearms before somebody suggested ear protection.

3. Shooting (camera) a lotta howitzers that were shooting - and often without ear protection.

4. Driving much-too-loud cars.

5. Listening to much too loud music from others.

 

<grin>

 

Too soon oldt, too late schmardt.

 

m

[/quote']

 

Ya know... I started playing at 15... played LOUD..... at 18 went to work in the Peterbilt factory.... again LOUD.... then at 20 I got drafted...into the Artillery, (155 mm Howitzers), then went back to the factory... left Peterbilt after 11 years to go to Mack...again...LOUD.... then after 2 years I left there and went to Gillig, (bus builders), still LOUD... worked in the factory for 7 more years..... still at Gillig, but have been in the office since '88, so my ears never really got a rest 'til then.

[milod]

Rob...

 

Nastiest time with a howitzer was while taking a pix of one gun (SP 155) while a fire mission I didn't know about came down while my back was turned to another. I'm like 20-30 feet from the muzzle brake, and almost in line with it. Whooooeeeee. I think the muzzle brakes made 'em seem a lot louder than the towed tubes. I felt that one on every square inch of my body.

 

I did get some nice pix in the olden days of the projo outgoing within a few meters of the tube, both on towed and SPs. But that was a long time ago. Pulled a lanyard or two, too. Slept in an SP during gas training. Learned to sleep through fire missions at 3 a.m. less than 50 meters behind 155s. Never been in the military, though. <grin> Long story.

 

Black powder muzzle-loading cannon are harder to get pix of outgoing projos. <grin> Been there, too. Told yuh I'm old.

 

Small arms can be nasty on the ears - for some reason full bore .357s seem as nasty as any.

 

But I think playing loud rock and country, long term, was likely the worst thing to do.

 

m

[Rewddawg1]

When I ran two boogie Mark IV amps out of two full stacks' date=' I never went past 7 at small clubs like the Whiskey or the Roxy. However places like the Palladium or 5000 seat auditoriums, the volume was always at 8 to 10

 

Recording volume is always at 10, even when playing clean.

 

Tube amps IMO sound better when they are completly opened up.[/quote']

I can testify to that statement. My Marshall 60w does not get the vintage Marshall tone til the volume is at 11. I am not the most tech savy on this subject but if I remember right the the power tubes don't start cutting right until enough power is run through them. Something like that. Maybe a tech guy could straighten me out on the subject.

[Thundergod]

EXACTLY.

Hit the nail on the head there Mick.

 

For anyone that's played live there is NOTHING that will piss a FOH bloke off more than an inexperienced guitarist who thinks that he has to redline his 50-100 watt stack so he can be "heard".

 

 

That!

[DanvillRob]

Rob...

 

Nastiest time with a howitzer was while taking a pix of one gun (SP 155) while a fire mission I didn't know about came down while my back was turned to another. I'm like 20-30 feet from the muzzle brake' date=' and almost in line with it. Whooooeeeee. I think the muzzle brakes made 'em seem a lot louder than the towed tubes. I felt that one on every square inch of my body.

 

I did get some nice pix in the olden days of the projo outgoing within a few meters of the tube, both on towed and SPs. But that was a long time ago. Pulled a lanyard or two, too. Slept in an SP during gas training. Learned to sleep through fire missions at 3 a.m. less than 50 meters behind 155s. Never been in the military, though. <grin> Long story.

 

Black powder muzzle-loading cannon are harder to get pix of outgoing projos. <grin> Been there, too. Told yuh I'm old.

 

Small arms can be nasty on the ears - for some reason full bore .357s seem as nasty as any.

 

But I think playing loud rock and country, long term, was likely the worst thing to do.

 

m

[/quote']

 

I was on split trails 155, so no break...but I did sleep through a 500+ round fire mission...didn't hear even one volly. I'll tell you, the time I DID get tossed "a$$-over-teakettle" was when I was just in front of a 175 MM Howitzer at Song Bei.... when it went off, I got tossed like a rag doll.

[Thundergod]

i am assuming this was mic'd? no way in hell you could play with my drummer with 15 watts of solid state.

 

 

 

Believe it or not... one of the bands I gig with non-periodically has a really loud playing drummer. For the last rehearsal with them (a couple of weeks ago) I took the little 15W SS vox pathfinder and the tonelab with me.

 

They couldn't believe I was playing through a 15W solid state amp with an 8 inch speaker. It sounded really loud, I even put the volume at 5 to see if it was louder than the drums and it was.

 

I took it to their gig that week and played with it. The volume was set at 4 (master, 4 gain) during the whole gig with not one problem.

[milod]

TG...

 

To everything there is a season. A lot depends on the room but, as you noted, a small amp has a lot more sound that a lotta people figure. I have a hunch it's also Tele friendly.

 

???

 

m

[NeoConMan]

Congratulations it's great to hear you are gigging now.

Yeah' date=' thanks.

Very much an occasional thing, as time allows.

 

 

 

 

It's got to be tough with 2 jobs a family and all those hobbies you enjoy.

Oh yeah, especially since I work at least two weekends a month at the day job.

Gun sales are a bit more flexible, thanks to the extended hours the BATFE operates the NICS line.

 

 

 

 

You probably don't get much sleep I am sort of an insomniac myself.

It's random as hell.

 

 

 

 

By the way where do you get those half stacks with 2 cabs.

Oh' date=' I'm sorry if I was typing too fast and you misunderstood - Masters in Education and all.

My wife usually has no trouble keeping up with me with her education degree - and she's a woman.

 

You see, I have more than one 4x12 already.

I found that just one is more than adequate to get exciting sound pressure levels inside the NeoCon Compound.

When I hooked two up to the Marshall head, it was substantially more painful to stay in the room with it.

Therefore, my curiosity was satisfied and I unstacked them, hooking the Peavey cab back up to the Peavey head.

 

But here's the payoff -

With a friend of mine's cabinets (I'm typing slowly - just for you) I can make a half stack with two cabs.

He has a pair of Marshall 1936's - 2x12.

So, you see, it can get awfully confusing for some folks who just can't do the math in a hurry.

Two cabs, but still only a half stack.

Clever, eh?

 

 

 

 

I have never run across them myself.

Golly, I HOPE not! That would be expensive!

And what do you drive when you run across stuff? Vehicle damage could surely result from such behaviors...

 

 

 

 

Show us some pics.

See link in signature.

Click to your heart's content.

 

 

 

 

Anyway keep on Rockin and above all just have fun!

Rewd

Indeed I will!

 

[milod]

BTW Rob...

 

I never hadda get close to those 8-inchers. I can only imagine how that felt.

 

But I was in an old Bell bubble-top helikachopper taking pix of a 155 battery when the 8-inchers were shooting over the top of us. Sheesh. It was middle of summer in the Badlands and my hands still were cold. <grin> On the ground I hadda wear the hat because of potential accidental air bursts, and here we were up there somewhere and... Argh.

 

All kidding aside, though...

 

Younger guys, if you wanna hear better than summa us old guys, wear ear protection when you're playing loudly and when you're listening to others - or when you're doing other stuff around loud sources of sound.

 

m